Description
These Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are festive, buttery sugar cookies topped with a peppermint-flavored Hershey’s Candy Cane Kiss. Soft and chewy with a hint of peppermint, they’re perfect for holiday celebrations and are easy to make in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (optional)
- 2 2/3 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
Topping
- 1 (9-ounce) package Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses (about 50-60 pieces)
- Optional: Sparkling sugar, sprinkles, or nonpareils for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 4 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Then add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract if using, and mix for an additional minute.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt carefully. Be cautious not to overmix to avoid developing too much gluten, which results in tough cookies.
- Chill Dough (Optional): For easier rolling, you may chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended for better handling.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into small balls. If desired, roll each ball in sparkling sugar, sprinkles, or nonpareils for added texture and appearance.
- Bake: Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are set but remain soft in the center.
- Add Candy Cane Kisses: While cookies bake, unwrap all the Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses. Once cookies come out of the oven, wait for 2 minutes and then press one kiss into the center of each cookie gently.
- Set Cookies (Optional): For a firmer cookie and candy, place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the kisses to set completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough makes rolling easier and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
- Use light-colored baking sheets to prevent over-browning on the bottoms of the cookies.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- Press the candy cane kisses gently to avoid cracking the cookies.
- Optional toppings like sparkling sugar or sprinkles add festive flair and extra texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
